Corrosion behavior of friction stir blind riveted Al/CFRP and Mg/CFRP joints exposed to a marine environment

Abstract This paper investigated the corrosion behavior of Al/CFRP (carbon fiber-reinforced plastic) and Mg/CFRP FSBR (friction stir blind riveting) joints after six-month exposure to a marine environment. It was found that Mg in the Mg/CFRP joint experienced severe uniform corrosion in most regions but not inside the crevice. Severe corrosion occurred on Al in the coupled regions due to crevice corrosion and/or galvanic corrosion. Magnesium carbonate-hydrates were identified by several characterization techniques (FTIR, XRD and XPS) as the corrosion products formed on Mg in both coupled and un-coupled regions; and dawsonite and bayerite were found on Al in the coupled regions.